Heal that heartburn without reaching out to your medicine box

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) can give you a burning sensation which can be tackled with lifestyle modifications.

People with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) can experience symptoms like heartburn, vomiting and chest pain and is a long-term problem. The food contents come up in the oesophagus from the stomach and ignoring this problem can cause swelling of the lower end of the oesophagus (Reflux esophagitis), oesophageal narrowing (stricture oesophagus) and so on.

The most common symptoms of GERD: "One may experience burning sensations in the throat or chest and find it difficult to swallow or eat normally. Also, you may develop a sour taste in the mouth. A lot of patients visit me who suffer from GERD and this is generally due to a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits," says Dr Roy Patankar, Gastroenterologist & Director, Zen Multispecialty Hospital.

Causes

• It can occur in people of all age-groups and it is commonly seen in people who are overweight. The increasing pressure on the stomach is the culprit.
• Pregnant women can also suffer from GERD due to an increased abdominal pressure.
• Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke.
• "Hiatal herniacould be the other culprit. In this condition, abdominal organs, especially the stomach protrudes out of the diaphragm into the middle of the chest.

How to treat it naturally

"Maintain an appropriate weight: Being on the higher side of the weighing scale can put pressure on your stomach and cause acid reflux. So, make sure that if you are on a heavier side you shed those excess kilos," says Dr Patankar.

Give up smoking: It can also cause acid reflux so just quit it.

Lying down immediately after eating is not advisable: Doing so can cause acid reflux. Hence, one should never adopt this unhealthy habit.

"Chew your food thoroughly while eating and swallow it properly," says Dr Patankar.

To reduce the discomfort of acid coming up back, you can eat a fully ripened banana.

Avoid eating spicy, junk and oily food to prevent acidity.

Take up any physical activity of your choice running, walking, yoga and so on.

Sipping on ginger tea can be a good option to treat stomach ailments.

Chamomile tea also reduces stress which can result in heartburn.

Avoid carbonated beverages which can cause acid reflux.

"Avoid consuming mint chocolates and chillies if you have GERD," says Dr Patankar.

Treatment

If GERD cannot be tackled with lifestyle modifications, your doctor will prescribe medications. To inhibit reflux during sleep, wedge pillow (which prevents stomach acid from going back to the oesophagus) can be recommended. In extreme cases, if medications and lifestyle modifications fail to yield results, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure known as Fundoplication. "The top of the stomach around the oesophagus is stitched by the surgeon. It is generally successful at reducing reflux as this adds pressure to the lower end of the oesophagus," says Dr Roy Patankar.

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